Wittenberg Days
by Shananagin
Summary: Before all the angst. This is Hamlet back in school with Rosencrantz, Guildenstern, and Horatio. HH and RG. SLASH


**Thanks to LJ user Julius12 for the beta! Enjoy people!  
**

"Then I said to the wench…" Guildenstern trailed off. It seemed Hamlet wasn't listening. "My lord?"

Hamlet looked up. "Aye?" It was a beautiful day, and they were all sitting in the courtyard of Wittenberg, their school.

"I was telling of my exploits in the town." Guildenstern explained. "Were you not listening?"

"Hmm? Carry on. I missed not a word." Hamlet said distractedly.

Guildenstern looked at Rosencrantz helplessly. Hamlet had been like this all day.

"Is all well with you, my lord?" Rosencrantz asked.

"Aye, why dost thou ask?" Hamlet said, turning away from the sight that had held him so captivated and over towards his two friends.

"You seem to be not yourself, good lord," Rosencrantz said. "You have been staring at nothing all day."

"I have been…thinking." Hamlet said, eyes slowly being drawn back to where he had been staring before.

Rosencrantz and Guildenstern looked to the spot and saw nothing unusual. There was a tree, a few students chatting together, and one boy reading alone. They couldn't comprehend what was holding his attention.

"A penny for your thoughts, sir?" Guildenstern asked.

"Nay, Guildenstern, I know thee well." Hamlet laughed. "Lets see the colour of thy money first."

"You wound me, sire," Guildenstern said. "If I say 'tis a penny, 'tis certainly a penny."

"Methinks thou wilt take my thoughts and thy penny and be off with thee, leaving me penniless and thoughtless."

"Never milord," Guildenstern said, "Here is my penny now! Where are your thoughts?" He pulled out a coin with a flourish.

Hamlet waved it away. "Nay, 'tis too late. The thoughts have flown in fear."

"In fear, lord?" Rosencrantz asked.

"Aye, Rosencrantz, in fear."

"Wherefore do they fear?" Guildenstern asked.

"Wherefore do they _not_ fear?" Hamlet asked, laughing again. "Thoughts are flighty, fearful things."

"'Sblood, milord!" Guildenstern moaned. "You know we love you well, but I'll be hanged if you be not the end of us!"

"Aye, and you'd be dead either way." Hamlet said.

"You are unkind, my lord." Rosencrantz said.

"Nay, I do but jest." Hamlet smiled at his friends. "Guildenstern, thou wert telling a story, wert thou not?"

The day went on, but Hamlet seemed no less distracted. Guildenstern and Rosencrantz ignored it, mostly, fearing the Prince's anger if they were to pry. When they were alone together, away from Hamlet, they whispered that he was a very strange man, though they would never say so themselves.

The oddness went on for about a week. That day, at supper, Hamlet introduced a new member into their little clique.

"Rosencrantz? Guildenstern? Meet Horatio." Hamlet said, pulling a rather reluctant looking boy over to their table. "Horatio, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern."

"Honoured to make your acquaintances, good sirs," Horatio said quietly.

"The honour is ours," Guildenstern, looking curiously from Horatio to Hamlet. "How know you the prince?"

"We met nary an hour ago," Hamlet said, "In the library."

"I do not wish to be a bother," Horatio muttered, "I am fine eating alone, I do not need your pity."

"I offered none," Hamlet said, "'twas naught but friendship, if you'll have it."

Horatio nodded nervously and sat down, glancing at Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, then ducking his head to hide the blush that crept up his face at their undisguised stares.

The rest of the meal passed in awkward silence, with Guildenstern and Rosencrantz acting guarded and Horatio being as quiet as he could be under the hail of questions from Hamlet, who was trying to unite his new friend with his old ones. It was a spectacular failure, and when the bells rang for one o'clock they all hastened for their classes.

That night, Rosencrantz crept to Guildenstern's room, as he often did. Together, they whispered and gossiped, huddled together in Guildenstern's bed.

"So, Horatio," mused Rosencrantz. "Methinks lord Hamlet is wont to madness, on occasion."

"Aye, though I'll be hanged if he ever hears so from my mouth." Guildenstern said.

"Who is this Horatio? Why doth Hamlet bring him to us?" Rosencrantz asked.

"I know no better than thee," Guildenstern said, "He is strange, and silent, and I admit I like him not."

"Aye, and he takes away Prince Hamlet's eye." Rosencrantz added.

"'Twould not do for us to be replaced by this lad." Guildenstern said.

"Nay, we should talk to him." Rosencrantz said, "And warn him away from our prince."

"Mayhap we can destroy this friendship before it doth begin." Guildenstern smiled.

Rosencrantz grinned back, and snuggled into Guildenstern. They would stay that way until just before dawn, when Rosencrantz would quietly get up and sneak to his own room.

They did not have a chance to talk to Horatio alone for several days. It seemed he and Hamlet were inseparable, though it was unclear whether Horatio actually enjoyed Hamlet's attention. Finally, though, they cornered him, alone, between two classes.

"What ho, Horatio!" Guildenstern called, coming towards him.

Horatio turned. "Ah, good," He paused, searching for a name. "Rosencrantz?" he sounded unsure.

"Nay, that is I," Rosencrantz said, coming from behind him. "That is Guildenstern."

"My apologies, good Guildenstern. I was thoughtless." Horatio said, frowning slightly. "Have you this class?"

"Actually, we wished to talk with thee." Rosencrantz said. "We care deeply for the Prince, and we know not why he likes thee, but we know thee not, and we trust thee not."

"Good sirs, I asked not for Prince Hamlet's friendship," Horatio looked between the two larger boys. "I know not what you have against me, but I assure you, I am trustworthy. You do me a dishonour."

"We wish to know thy intentions. Be they honourable, we will trouble thee no more, if thou art dishonest, we shall advise our lord against thee." Guildenstern said.

"I have no intentions!" Horatio said. "In faith, I asked not for friendship and would never have crossed you were it not for Hamlet! He came across me in the library and wished for me to join you at his table. I mean no harm, good sirs, in faith."

"Aye?" Rosencrantz asked. "The Prince is rich, and powerful. Thou thinks not of that when thou art with him?"

"Nay! I am no conniving politician!" Horatio said, then looked shrewdly at the two of them. "Is this what this is about? The two of you, do you wish for favours from the heir to Denmark? Are you accusing me out of fear I will take what you are after?"

Rosencrantz and Guildenstern looked at each other. Horatio was more clever and harder to intimidate than they had counted on.

"Do not cross us." Rosencrantz warned. The two of them turned and left Horatio. Horatio watched them for another few seconds, before turning and heading to his fencing lesson.

Rosencrantz and Guildenstern were disappointed to find that their warnings had, if anything, the opposite effect to that they had hoped. Horatio and Hamlet were closer than ever, and now it no longer seemed unwanted on Horatio's part. Where one was, the other was not far off. As the two of them grew closer, Hamlet became more distant from his two older friends. Guildenstern could have sworn, at times, Horatio almost called the prince 'thou,' before remembering himself and switching to the more formal 'you'. In the halls, Rosencrantz sometimes heard them talking animatedly, turning a corner, seeing him and Rosencrantz, and stopping all conversation embarrassedly.

"It's ridiculous!" Guildenstern hissed, in Rosencrantz' room that night. "Why does he trust this Horatio more than the two of us?"

"he _says_ he is not trying to gain the favours of the prince," Rosencrantz said, "He may be more trustworthy than we."

Guildenstern rolled his eyes and smacked Rosencrantz mischievously.

"Hey!" Rosencrantz laughed, and the two of them started wrestling playfully.

"Knave," Guildenstern teased, when they had finished their battle.

"Villain," Rosencrantz responded. "I'faith, thou art mad."

"Aye, mayhap, but we must still decide what to do about Horatio." Guildenstern lay back, sighing.

"We could fight him." Rosencrantz suggested. "Thou knowest we would triumph."

"Aye, he is a scholar, not a fighter." Guildenstern said. "But 'twould not be sporting of us."

"Aye, and that doth trouble thee?" Rosencrantz said. "He would have our prince."

"Thou art right. Thy plan is good," Guildenstern smiled. "How shall we separate the servant from his lord?"

"I'faith, I had not thought of that yet," Rosencrantz said, "hast thou any ideas?"

"Naught but one. When he and Hamlet are apart, thou talks to Hamlet, and I to Horatio. I will lead Horatio to a secluded spot in the forest, and thou wilt meet us there, and there will we show that knave we spoke not in jest."

"Horatio!" Guildenstern called, seeing him in the halls the next day.

Horatio turned. "Aye, Guildenstern?"

"Come quickly! 'Tis Hamlet!" Guildenstern said. "He- He-" he paused, shaking his head.

"He what? Prithee, tell me!" Horatio sounded far more anxious than Guildenstern expected he would.

"Thou hadst best come with me," Guildenstern said.

Horatio nodded, chewing his lip nervously. "Aye, with all haste!"

At the same time, Rosencrantz hailed Hamlet. "My lord!"

"Gentle Rosencrantz!" Hamlet said.

"Aye, my lord." He walked up to Hamlet. "I have not seen you often of late."

"Nay? I noticed not." Hamlet frowned slightly.

"'Tis no matter, my lord," Rosencrantz said, "I just wished to see more of you."

"I'faith, I meant not to abandon thee," Hamlet smiled. "Wouldst thou dine with me and Horatio tonight, then?"

Rosencrantz saw, behind Hamlet, Horatio and Guildenstern hurrying into the forest. Guildenstern's eyes met his, and he smiled. "Aye," he said to Hamlet. "I would like that."

"And bring Guildenstern," Hamlet said.

"Certainly, my lord." Rosencrantz said, "And now, I must take my leave. I must to class."

"Aye, of course. I will see you later." The prince frowned, as though something was bothering him.

Rosencrantz bowed and walked towards the woods that Guildenstern and Horatio had vanished into. It wasn't until he was already half way there that he remembered there were no classes that day. It was Sunday. He cursed silently and hoped Hamlet wouldn't notice.

A little ways ahead, Horatio was becoming increasingly nervous. "Can we go no faster?" He asked Guildenstern.

"It is not long now, good Horatio." Guildenstern said, smirking to himself.

"Aye, wilt thou say what is wrong with the prince?" Horatio asked.

"Wrong?" Guildenstern said, grinning now and turning around. Rosencrantz was coming towards them from behind. "The only thing wrong with Prince Hamlet is you."

Horatio frowned. "What sayest thou?" he asked. "I have done thee no wrong and most certainly naught to Hamlet!"

"Oh?" Rosencrantz asked from behind him. Horatio turned with a start. "Thou hast not tried to get close to him, as we warned thee to do not? Thou hast not tried to use my lord Hamlet for his wealth and power?"

"Nay! You dishonour me! I wouldst rather lose my right arm than see any harm come to Prince Hamlet!"

"Then thou shalt," Guildenstern hissed, grabbing Horatio's arm and twisting it behind the smaller boy's back.

Horatio shouted in pain, then brought his left elbow sharply into Guildenstern's gut. Guildenstern let go of Horatio's arm, gasping.

Rosencrantz sneered. "So the scholar hath backbone." He kicked at Horatio's knee. Horatio collapsed, but he kicked out with his other foot to catch Rosencrantz in the shin. From the ground, he attacked Guildenstern's shin with his fists, bringing the bigger boy down. The three of them started wrestling in earnest, dust flying. Horatio was stronger than he looked, but Rosencrantz and Guildenstern were determined to teach him not to infringe on their territory.

Suddenly, they felt their prey being pulled out of the fight. They looked up, squinting at the sunlight.

"What, pray tell, is the meaning of this?" Hamlet asked, voice quivering with anger.

Guildenstern and Rosencrantz stood up hastily, and bowed.

"M-my lord!" Rosencrantz said, "It was Horatio! He-"

"Horatio?" Hamlet asked, looking at the boy still leaning heavily on him.

Horatio blushed slightly and stood up. "My lord-" he began, but Hamlet stopped him.

"Nay, 'tis not possible. He would not start a fight he could not win." Hamlet glared at Rosencrantz and Guildenstern. "Why would you wish to harm Horatio?"

"To protect you, my lord!" Guildenstern said. "He cares naught for you, not like we. He would have your favours and be done with you."

Horatio was glaring at them now, bright red splashes on his cheeks. Hamlet turned to him again. "Horatio," he said softly, "what happened here?"

"They told me you were in trouble, my lord." Horatio said, looking up at Hamlet. "I followed Guildenstern into the woods, and Rosencrantz followed. They pelted me with false charges, like those they told you just now. I told them I would never betray you, and they did attack me."

Hamlet turned back to Guildenstern and Rosencrantz. "Is this true?" He asked them coldly.

"Nay!" They both said quickly.

"Lies. So, you hurt the one who is closer to my heart than any brother, then you try to feed me lies? It mayhap will be hard for you to swallow, my once-friends, but our friendship has come out the other end."

"But my lord!" Rosencrantz gasped.

"Nay, speak to me not. If you want us ever friends to be again, 'tis Horatio's love you will have to win." Hamlet scowled at the two now-silent boys. They watched him, mouths slightly open. "Come, Horatio," he said, touching Horatio's shoulder gently. "Let us leave these knaves."

Horatio nodded, turning away from Rosencrantz and Guildenstern. He started to trip as he stepped his injured leg, but Hamlet caught him, and he supported Horatio as the two of them walked out of the clearing. Behind them, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern looked at each other. One bad fight, and all of their delicate work had been crushed.


End file.
